Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups in the packaging industry. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 5 promising thermo-regulation solutions for the packaging industry.
Heat Map: 5 Top Thermo-Regulation Startups
For our 5 picks of thermo-regulation startups, we used a data-driven startup scouting approach to identify the most relevant solutions globally. The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 5 interesting examples out of 120 relevant solutions. Depending on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely different.
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HeatGenie – Self-Heating: Solid-State Thermal Reaction
An in-built heater transfers controlled heat to increase the temperature in hot beverages. This compact heater is an integrated off-the-shelf aluminum packaging using a solid-state thermal reaction. The US-based startup HeatGenie develops a self-heating solution with the aim to change the way people consume hot beverages. It allows brands to offer ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages that heat themselves within 2 minutes, in single-serving cans. HeatGenie is not limited to beverages only as it also heats up soups, for example.
Hot Can – Self-Heating: Granular Limestone & Water
To self-heat a can with this technology, a can of food is placed within an outer can and the space in between is filled with a water sachet and processed granular limestone (the same basic compound found in various kinds of toothpaste). UK-based Hot Can produces a double-chambered container, which after activation warms up the food inside the can. Within 8-12 minutes it reaches the ideal eating temperature of 60-70°C.
Chef Minute Meals – Self-Heating: Saltwater & Heating Element
Saltwater needs to be poured into the heating tray to activate the heating element. Then, the tray is placed back inside the cardboard container where it creates steam and warms up food in 5 minutes. The US-based Chef Minute Meals manufactures self-heating, shelf-stable meals that require no refrigeration to maintain or electricity to heat. Using steam to heat food up to 90°C when steaming, the ready-to-eat food contains no added preservatives or fillers while maintaining an extended shelf-life.
Chill-Can – Self-Chilling: Carbon Dioxide Activation
A self-chilling beverage can has a built-in Heat Exchange Unit (HEU) which contains the technology that activates the environmentally safe reclaimed Co2 in the HEU. The result is a chilled beverage. The self-chilling Chill-Can from The Joseph Co., in California, USA, is a two-piece aluminum can with a built-in Heat Exchange Unit, which uses liquified CO2 as the active coolant, that lowers the product’s temperature about 30 degrees in 1-2 minutes.
Scaldopack – Self-Heating: Quicklime; Self-Cooling: Salts Dissolution
An advancement in self-heating is a pouch for liquid food and beverages using quicklime reaction and a self-cooling stand-up pouch, obtained by the dissolution of salts in water. The developers of Belgian startup Scaldopack create a system that heats up liquid food to 35°C or cools it down to 15°C when required — from any starting temperature. The product consists of a “pouch-in-a-pouch-concept”. The thermic reaction is triggered by pressing a button on the outside of the package which then releases heat or cools the food or drink. All this takes no more than four minutes.
What About The Other 115 Thermo-Regulation Solutions?
While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence for your Proof of Concept (PoC), partnership, or investment targets. The 5 thermo-regulation startups showcased above are promising examples out of 120 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria and collaboration strategy, get in touch.
